Organic matter delivery to Quaternary sediments of Amundsen Basin, central Arctic Ocean

• Quaternary marine sediments retrieved from the central Arctic Ocean in a 30 cm long core, were analyzed for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. n-Alkane biomarkers combined with elemental analyses that include X-ray fluorescence (XRF) core scanning provide complementary information that suggest important influxes of terrigenous derived organic matter (OM) with depth. Changes in the variability of n-alkane-derived and elemental ratios with depth reflect the complexity of the organic carbon cycle in this region. The distributions and abundances of the long-chain n-alkanes reveal a high content of terrigenous derived components and suggest together with mathematical estimations high deliveries of the terrigenous OM in the past. XRF trace metal analyses suggest less-oxygenated bottom waters that may have allowed for better preservation conditions of OM deeper in the core.

Nyckelord

n-alkanes

biomarkers

Arctic Ocean

Lomonosov Ridge

geokemi

Geochemistry

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vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)